


Aching Lungs

by HuneyThirst



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Confessions, Getting Together, M/M, Mild Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:48:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26453647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HuneyThirst/pseuds/HuneyThirst
Summary: Atsumu is struggling with his feelings for Hinata. He can only hope that Hinata feels the same.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Miya Atsumu
Comments: 8
Kudos: 64
Collections: AtsuHina Exchange





	Aching Lungs

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sunflxrs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunflxrs/gifts).



There are a lot of things that Atsumu doesn’t know. At this point in his life, he wouldn’t really say it’s a hindrance. He was quite content with his knowledge base. There was only one sticking point.  
Hinata Shoyo is a total mystery.

The fiery man slowly consumed Atsumu’s life. They practice together constantly, went out to restaurants to eat and drink together, and recently Hinata even roped him into playing video games. He wasn’t particularly good at them, but he knew he wouldn’t trade the time for anything else.

“Practice was great today! I can’t wait for our match against Nagoya,” Hinata cheered as he bounded into the locker room.

  
“Careful, those wolf dogs will eat you up,” Atsumu teased, one step behind.

  
“Ho, ho! Hinata and I will tear them apart before they could even try,” Bokuto shouted as he raced in behind Hinata, almost running Atsumu over in his haste.

  
“Jackals are a type of wild dog,” Sakusa commented, a couple steps behind Atsumu. “That would make it cannibalism.”

  
“Whatever it is, I know we’ll win,” Hinata stated, hands on his hips.

  
Bokuto nodded fiercely. He only turned away when his phone went off in his locker. The door was practically ripped open as he reached to snag it out of his bag. There were few people that he talked to on the phone and only one that he deemed important enough to stop boasting to answer.

  
Hinata turned his attention to Atsumu when he lost Bokuto’s enthusiasm.

  
“We’ll win,” he repeated.

  
“Don’t worry, we’ll win,” Atsumu agreed. He lifted his hand and then stopped.

  
He didn’t know why he wanted to brush Hinata’s sweaty hair back from his face. The urge ate at him, but he shoved it aside and turned to his locker. He could feel someone staring at him and turned his head to catch sight of Sakusa’s deadpan look. He shot a glare at him. The effect was lessened when all Sakusa did was push his mask back up over his nose and shuffle out of the locker room.

  
Behind him, he heard Hinata changing at top speed. It was a Tuesday, which meant he would be meeting up with Kageyama. He didn’t know what they did together, but he did know that it ate him that he wasn’t able to join.

  
“See ya tomorrow, ‘Tsumu!” Hinata called, a jaunty wave thrown over his shoulder as he raced out.

  
The nickname itched against his skin. It was one he knew and heard his entire life, but also one that sounded so different on Hinata’s tongue. All he could do was wonder what the ache in his lungs meant? He yanked his phone out of his bag and texted his brother. He needed to relax and nothing sounded better than a cold beer and a whole lot of fried food.

  
They met up at a place not too far from the gym. It didn’t take long for Atsumu to down two drinks, leaving him slumped across the table.

  
“What’s got you so down?” Osamu asked.

  
“What do you think?” He muttered into the smooth wood of the table.

  
“Ah,” Osamu sighed. It was a conversation that they had already had a hundred times.

  
“Don’t ‘ah’ me,” Atsumu groused, turning his head to frown at Osamu. “He makes my chest hurt.”

  
Osamu speared a piece of fried chicken and brought it to his mouth. He nodded sagely as he chewed.

“But it’s not a bad thing... It’s like when you exercise a lot,” Atsumu went on when Osamu didn’t speak. “Like the burn of muscles being stretched too much. Ya’know?”

Osamu nodded again.

  
“It’s a good hurt and I hate it.”

  
“Do ya?”

  
Atsumu was quiet for a moment then he sighed and shook his head, “no, I don’t.”

  
“Didn’t think so,” Osamu said. He set his chopsticks down and wrapped a hand around his chilly glass of beer. “Whatcha think it means?”

“How the hell should I know? All I know is that it’s irritatin’ and it should really knock it off.”

  
Osamu’s lips quirked ever so slightly. He shook his head, clearly bemused by his brother.

  
“You’ll figure it out,” he offered.

  
Atsumu let out a breath that sounded distinctly like ‘pshaw’ and downed his drink. All he knew for certain was he didn’t know a thing and it bothered him more than he would like.

  
The next practice, Atsumu was determined to avoid Hinata. He knew if they were in close quarters, his thoughts would start spinning again and he just couldn’t have that. But Hinata seemed equally determined to stick by his side. When their coach sent them out on a jog, Hinata appeared at his side, matching his pace.

  
“Goin’ too fast for ya, squirt?” Atsumu asked, needing to break the silence.

  
Hinata shook his head, “never.”

  
“Oh? Should I pick up the pace?” He glanced down and regretted it almost instantly. Hinata’s face was caught in amused concentration. Brown eyes a light with some secret humor. The sight burst a bubble of warmth behind Atsumu’s sternum.

  
“I bet you I could beat you to the corner,” Atsumu said, looking forward and ignoring the squeeze of his heart.

  
“Bet you, I’ll get there first!”

  
The pair were off, not even a pause or count down. Just one breath, another and then they were racing. Atsumu’s long legs carried him forward. He glanced over his shoulder to see Hinata’s grinning face and nearly stumbled. He jerked his attention forward. He just barely made it to the corner first.

  
“Told ya,” Atsumu panted.

  
Hinata doubled over for a moment, sucking in deep breaths. He lifted his head , sending a smile Atsumu’s way.

  
“Race you to the next corner?” Hinata asked as he straightened and they started to walk again.

  
“You must like losin’,” Atsumu joked, “Or just like seein’ me win.”

  
Hinata’s laugh was loud, bright and sent a flurry of emotions through Atsumu that he couldn’t even begin to process.

  
For all the things that he didn’t know, there was one that he suddenly knew. He knew, without a doubt, that he is falling in love with Hinata. It made his stomach squirm, his fingers itch and made him want to run until his lungs burned. His chest ached when he looked at Hinata. His ears rang whenever he laughed. He found that any cool line, slick phrase that he might have used in the past dried up and failed on his tongue.

  
With every fiber of his being, the fact clicked home. Atsumu was suddenly whole with the knowledge. His heart stuttered with it. His feet slowed as every muscle came alive with the knowledge that this is what he felt, love.

  
“‘Tsumu?” Hinata questioned.

  
The silence stretched too long. Atsumu had stopped in the middle of the sidewalk before he’d even realized it. A couple steps ahead, almost bouncing in place and eager to get back to their jog, Hinata waited.  
“Everything okay?”

  
The concern pressed at Atsumu. He could feel a hundred words well up in his throat and sit on the back of his tongue. The need to say something pushed at his teeth, but nothing would come out. Then before he could stop them, the words finally burst from his mouth.

“I like you,” he admitted.

  
“I like you too,” Hinata replied without hesitation. His wide smile was back and he had jogged to stand at Atsumu’s side.

  
Atsumu shook his head. As much as the words had burned his throat on the way out, he knew it would hurt more if Hinata misunderstood him. All the things he knew about Hinata rushed up to the surface. All the things that he knew he was in love with. His heart raced with those facts.

  
“No, I mean, I’m…” Atsumu licked his lips. His hands gestured vaguely between their chests. As if the motion would bring the truth to the surface and free him from saying it out loud.

  
Hinata’s head cocked to the side, confused.

  
The street was silent. Not even a summer wind blew. The neighborhood was waiting for Atsumu to figure out how to work his mouth again. The world was waiting for him to just say that thing he knew and desperately needed to share.

  
Atsumu grabbed Hinata’s shoulders. He squeezed the strong muscles. Fingers relishing in the press of hard warmth.

  
“I like you, but that’s not enough.”

  
Hinata’s brows furrowed. “Uh?”

  
Atsumu shook him slightly as if rattling Hinata would make him understand what he was attempting to say. When all it did was mount Hinata’s confusion, Atsumu’s grip loosened and his shoulders slumped. He hung his head, staring at the ground between them.

  
“Please,” Atsumu whispered, a quiet prayer that only Hinata could answer. “Please, fall in love with me.”

  
Hands roughened by sand and years of a demanding sport, came to rest on his cheeks. Hinata pulled his face up until they were eye to eye. His brown eyes were over-bright and fixed on him with an intensity usually reserved for the court.

  
“‘Tsumu,” Hinata breathed, the air ghosted over too-hot skin. “I already have...”

  
Jelly replaced Atsumu’s knees and he grabbed Hinata’s shoulders to stop himself from completely hitting the ground. A relief he never let himself consider slammed into his chest.

  
“What?” He croaked.

  
Hinata’s face turned red but he looked no less determined, no less intense. He nodded, hands squeezing Atsumu’s face and squishing his cheeks together.

  
“I just… didn’t think that you, you know, felt the same. So I just sort of ignored it.”

  
More thoughts than Atsumu could count flooded his head. He couldn’t pick one to start. He was a mess of excitement and confusion. His hands gripped Hinata’s shoulders and he shook him again.

  
“You love me!” Atsumu finally crowed. “You love me back.”

  
A surprised bubble of laughter fell from Hinata’s lips and just as suddenly as he knew that he wanted to kiss him.

  
“I’m going to kiss you,” Atsumu stated.

  
Hinata met him halfway, crushing their lips together. He rolled up onto his tip toes and looped his arms around Atsumu’s neck. He did it as easily as breathing. They melted together, fit together, came together as a whole in a way that Atsumu didn’t know two people could.

There are a lot of things that Atsumu doesn’t know. But there was a whole lot more that he recently learned. He now knew what it felt like to kiss Hinata Shoyo. And most importantly, he knew what it was like to fall in love with the sun and have the sun love him in return.


End file.
